Despite the strong leadership of the current GPSA president and council, and despite a strong showing at the GPSA-ASUNM-sponsored rally for affordable education, students face a fee increase for the upcoming year.
This is not a diatribe against Athletics, nor against a much-needed raise for deserving faculty, but a reality check. This is an acknowledgement that all students, both undergraduate and graduate, are now facing increases that are potentially cost prohibitive for some in the coming year.
For New Mexico residents, this amounts to $237 per year. For out-of-state and international students, it is $766 per year — the equivalent of almost two months’ rent. Where do we go from here?
I want to begin by inviting folks to vote in this week’s GPSA and ASUNM 2012 elections. Yes, voting, that pesky institution that people have fought and died for. I’m talking about the right that women were not granted at the national level until 1920, a right historically denied to minority groups through poll taxes and outright violence. One person, one vote.
The question is, will you vote?
The GPSA ballot only has two questions 1) GPSA president 2) GPSA constitutional changes, and takes less than a minute to vote.
Voting opened for graduate and professional students on, and polls remain open until Thursday at 5 p.m.
I believe that the first step in addressing the challenges of the upcoming year is to begin a conversation in which graduate and professional students connect and share stories and concerns regarding funding, and other academic issues for the coming year.
I welcome your calls and input at (505) 433-1174 if you would like to talk about details related to the general points of affordability of education, a strengthened and more unified student voice, post-graduation planning, or anything else.
I also welcome you to join the Graduate and Professional Student Association at the UNM Faculty Club every Friday in the month of April, from 4-7 p.m. Let’s toast to spring, and let’s strategize, build and fortify relationships for the coming year.
Constitutional ballot items up for vote include:
—non-substantive/grammar/punctuation changes and substantive changes
—presidential compensation & removal
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—executive committee stipends & approval
—GPSA grants name changes
—council chair membership, voting, impeachment, & compensation
—judicial impeachment
—deletion/changes to definitions
—new finance code
I urge you to express yourself in this election; further information on ballot items are available at unm.edu/~gpsa, as well on my website, marisaforpresident.com, click on the link to cast your vote.
Marisa Silve is the GPSA presidential candidate.
